BRITISH JOIN IN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21605, 6 January 1945, Page 3

BRITISH JOIN IN

SALIENT BATTL K ALLIED FRONT 21 MILES SLOW AND COSTLY GAINS (11 a.m.) LONDON. Jan. 5. It is officially announced that British armour and infantry have joined in the battle against the Germans in the Ardennes salient. Reuter's correspondent at Supreme Allied Headquarters says that the American First, Army is now attacking on a front of at least 21 miles against the northern flank of the salient including the areas of Arbrefontnine in the east and Amonines m the west. Although Reuter's correspondent says the First Army is making good pr/ogress despite poor weather ,tiie British United Press correspondent with the Americans ; reports that the First Army drive is j making exceedingly slow and costly progress. The First Army is trying jto break the crust of tiro enemy’s northern defences in the bulge. Our infantry are advancing across minefields in the face of German 88 m.m. and machine-gun fire. In the first SG hours the First Army advanced three and a-half miles, capturing 30 villages and taking 1500 prisoners, says the Daily Mail’s correspondent at Supremo Allied Headquarters. Armoured fighting is occurring in the narrow twisted streets of Malempre. three miles south-east of Grandmenil. Other troops advanced beyond Beffe, which is three and ahalf miles south-east of Hotton. which was reported to be captured earlier. Three Miles into German Lines Reuter’s correspondent with the First Army says that a staff officer said that by noon on Thursday our tanks and 'infantry at some points had smashed nearly three miles into the German lines. The Exchange and Telegraph correspondent says that by the middle of the afternoon the First Army held a lino parallel to the Laroche-St. Vith road and three or four miles northward of it. The British United Press correspondent; says that the First Army captured Amonines, five miles southwest of Grandmenil. Along the Saar Valiev the Germans seem to be making less progress generally and, in some cases, are being thrown back, while in the Bastogne sector General Patton seems to be regaining the initiative. Reuter’s correspondent says that German troops on skis have been seen on the lip of the salient east of Moschau. Our artillery shelled them. A communique from Supreme Allied Headquarters says: “Allied forces in the Ardennes salient continued to attack south-east of Grandmenil. Bad visibility, snow and rough terrain made movement difficult. Slow but steady progress has been made. We held enemy attacks in the areas of Bois de Tave and Arbrefontaine, eight miles east of Granmenil. South-east of Marche, \vc made gains of 1500 yards against opposition. Counters Round Bastogne “Fighting continued around the Bastogne bulge, with the enemy numerously counter-altncking. One counter-attack near Mande, five miles west of Bastogne, was repulsed. Another made by 35 tanks and a regiment of infantry near Longchamps was followed by heavy lighting. Farther east, a smaller enemy force made some progress from fhe direction of Bourcy towards Bastogne, but was forced to withdraw. South of Bastogne, we are clearing the northeast edge of Lutrebois and made slight gains cast of Harlingen against strong resistance. “In Ihc Saar Valley, our artillery broke up a small force of enemy infantry attacking from Gcislautern, six miles west of Saarbrucken, towards Ludweiler. We repulsed an enemy counter-attack south of Bliesbrucken, which is five miles east of Sarreguemines. Farther south, we drove back enemy units which penetrated to Achen and Grosredcrchingen, seven and a half miles southeast of Sarreguemines.